The term “Apocrypha” designates works not included in the
biblical canon of inspired books though they resemble the contents
and style of the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament
Apocrypha range in composition from the Third Century BCE to the
Third Century CE. The New Testament books date primarily from the
Second to Fourth Centuries CE, though some works may have been
composed as late as the Seventh Century CE. The use and
applicability of the term “Apocrypha”, however, differ among
Catholics, Protestant Christians, and Jews. Catholics use various
criteria to distinguish canonical from apocryphal works. Canonical
works trace their origins to the Apostles and their associates.
Because they were known and used i…

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Citation:
Labriola, Albert. "The Apocrypha".
The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 30 January 2004
[http://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1367, accessed 03 March 2015.]

1367The Apocrypha2Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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